Vote Now To Name The Tiramisu Lady (and Fabric Giveaway!)

Mikhaela is the artist

Last week, I solicited test subjects for my upcoming Tiramisu dress pattern release and asked for name suggestions for this lovely lady.  This is the not-quite-completely-finished drawing for the front of the pattern envelope- a lady in a vacuum.  No name, no backdrop, just sass and a red striped dress.

I had SUCH a great time reading and replying to your comments, stories, and suggestions- thank you so much!  Even more than that, I really appreciate your enthusiastic support of this project.  It means more to me than I can find words to express.

Last night, I spent the evening counting volunteers and name suggestions while assembling a crack team of international testers representing every size range I draft.   All told, 152 lovely ladies volunteered to test, and I chose 15.  It was agonizing, I wanted everyone but that’s not practical.  If you received an email from me today, you know what to do.  If not, keep an eye out for Pavlova testers- I’ll need you sooner rather than later!

And now to the fun part- names!  I had expected one or two names would become more popular than others, but the only clear favorite was Marie/Maria.  I’m more inclined to Marie, personally.  Please vote for your favorite name below- I’ll close voting in one week and our lady will have a name!

Penelope was another favorite, no doubt helped out by the amazing backstory written by 5 Currant Buns:

“Penelope” is a “cat who walks by herself”, she’s travelled the world (alone) and knows what’s out there, and after many many false starts and broken hearts found a man who thought like she did…

She walks barefoot as she likes to feel the ground beneath her feet, she loves the rain and the smell of the ground when it is raining, she likes dancing in the rain but misses rain in the southern hemisphere (because sometimes it is warm)…

She makes jam…and paper aeroplanes with her 7 year old son…she’s rocked out, done the festival thing…can bore you with memories of bands she has seen and the concerts she missed out on…

she cooks, she cleans, she does hard labour in the garden cos someone has to build the patio !

Can talk to you about literature, music, theatre, great art and food in fantastic restaurants…but can also talk about Dr Who, Power Rangers, star wars, Dino’s kitchen science and the beano…and knows how to make a water bomb !

She is ultra organised between 9-5 monday to friday but gloriously spontaneous the rest of the time…

She is you, she is me, she is what every one of us imagine we are…

I love the stories y’all spun of her life as a double agent, a spy, a bohemian!  It’s so much fun to share creativity this way, thanks for playing.

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Do you read Dress a Day?  I was thinking of her pattern envelope stories last week when I asked for tragi-comic backstories.  Erin’s blog was the first blog I ever read, and many of her posts have had a dramatic effect on the way I think about clothing, sewing, style, and writing.  In fact, while we’re on a Dress a Day tangeant, go read this post:

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This post struck me like a bolt of lightning on a clear day the first time I read it.  It influenced me more than the stacks of style books I’ve read, makeover shows I’ve watched or fashion blogs I’ve skimmed.  Maybe I found “Plaid = Joy” just when I needed to read it, but I go back and refresh every now and then.  It’s one of those posts that stick in the mind.

Last week, I showed you a bit of the envelope front.  This week, a bit of the back!  This is the technical drawing for Tiramisu, complete with little pockets.  Woohoo!  I expect the pattern to go to print very soon.  When it does, we’ll have an awesome pre-sale week complete with posts on sewing knits without a serger, choosing knit fabric by weight, a behind the scenes look at the work I’ve been up to and details about Tiramisu’s sizing.  We’ll have a jolly circus around here that week, I can’t wait.

It’s been a while since I could run a giveaway, I miss sending bits of fabric out into the world!  I’ve had my eye on this navy polka dot jersey in my local fabric store for some time:

It’s 100% cotton printed with white polka dots, t-shirt weight and perfect for making up a dotted Tiramisu.  I’m offering 3m of this fabric in the giveaway- easily enough for your own Tira!  I’ll also throw in a pair of serrated scissors (great for cutting knits!) and a pack of ballpoint needles for your machine.  The winner will be chosen by a random number generator.

If you vote and tell me in the comments, that’s one point.  If you tweet, pin, or “Like” this post, those are also one point each.  If you blog about this giveaway, that’s two points.   Please let me know in the comments, as well. The giveaway will close at 7pm Brisbane time, next Friday.

Also- if you haven’t already, do sign up for Cake updates.  I have some fun up my sleeve for a bit later on, I’d hate for you to miss it!